1. Field of the Invention
A disposable anterior lower leg guard configured to reduce injury to the anterior lower leg area of a patient.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous patients are subject to injury to the skin, subcutaneous tissue overlying the anterior and lateral aspect of the bony tibial surface. These patients most often include individuals confined to wheelchairs; elderly patient group with instability of gait; history of previous injury to the lower legs; healing leg infections or injuries; "active" bedridden patients; patients with any central nervous system disease or head injury; paraplegics; patients with peripheral arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease with compromised lower leg circulation; status post cerebral vascular accident patients; patients with venous disease or venous hypertension; elderly group who frequently need a cane, wheelchair, crutches, or walker and status post split thickness graft to the lower leg.
Such injuries usually result from a direct blow to the lower leg. Since patients are generally older and infirmed with multiple organ system disease, they frequently have less than optimal healing capabilities. Thus there is often poor wound healing to the injured area of the lower leg and subsequent wound infection may require additional medications, antibiotics, nursing care, surgery, and frequent skin grafting.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,360 shows a shin guard having a rigid outer shell of polyurethane with a polyurethethane foam backing. having the profile of the recess to be made. An oblong recess formed in the foam backing is centered over the shin bone or tibia. A dense, modified polyurethane is then cast in the oblong recess.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,315 discloses a shin guard comprising an elastic generally tubular member configured to tightly surround the lower leg of a wearer and an elongated substantially rigid member shaped to substantially conform to the contour of the shin of the wearer. The elastic tubular member has a first retaining means for retaining the substantially rigid member in a predetermined position between the elastic tubular member and the shin of the wearer. A second retaining means extends from the elastic tubular member to retain the elastic tubular member at a predetermined position of the leg of the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,070 shows a unitary leg and foot protective device of soft energy absorbing material comprising a lower portion to cover the top and sides of the foot of the wearer, a middle portion for covering the front and sides of the ankle of the wearer and an upper portion covering the skin of the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,953 discloses a protective gaiter which extending from a wearer's instep to immediately below the knee. A portion of the gaiter forms a completely closed pocket containing an energy-absorbing pad. The pocket and pad are both elongated, covering substantially the length of the gaiter, and include a concavely shaped bottom edge to position reprotective gait around the wearer's instep so that it fits over and protects the wearer's shinbones as well as covering many of the major bones and muscles of the wearer's leg.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,364 shows a protective pad having a flexible shock-absorbing member shaped to form a shin guard be worn under a knit sock or stocking and held in place by interlocking of split loops carried by the pad.
Other examples of prior art are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,479,883; 2,779,108; 3,189,919; 3,888,244; 4,008,531; and 4,665,562.